Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

3/21/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Logan Kim as Trevor Spengler, Phoebe Spengler, and Podcast in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’. (Photo Courtesy of Sony Pictures.)

Innovation. That’s the word we’ve used often in our discussions of the Ghostbusters franchise over the past few days and rightfully so. Because the original 1984 film was just that… original and filled to the brim with iconic moments that have never been replicated. And the first sequel in this franchise worked to offer up realistic character growth and provided fans with a new evil for the Ghostbusters to conquer. Not to mention the 2016 remake/reboot did take some serious chances and outright provided us with a new set of characters to know and bust ghosts with, and innovation didn’t end there.

In fact, in 2021 the franchise took innovation to a whole new level, through the failure of the 2016 reboot. Simply because that film tried to evoke a sense of nostalgia where it simply could not and that allowed for a new creative team to ponder upon how best to pay tribute to the legacy of the films that came before, while indeed really pushing the franchise in a bold new direction and the end result of those musings brought about… quite the surprise. Specifically, a new Ghostbusters feature that figured out how to do just that with seeming ease, and that makes Ghostbusters: Afterlife, quite the important film in the franchise.

In large part because, it really does perfectly blend together nostalgia and innovation, all by introducing us to a new generation of the Spengler family. Because having Egon’s grandkids take over the family business and uncover the secrets of the Shandor nightmare, really is a great way to tie a new chapter in the saga to the old, and the perfect way to bring everyone from the old films back into the fold. Giving rise to organic cameos and the right amount of heroics when needed, and oddly enough, even featuring the return of Gozer the Gozerian works here, since it allows for the mythos of the greatest threat Egon and his friends ever faced to be fleshed out and it oddly… ties into the innovation of the feature.

Because all nostalgia aside, this is a Ghostbusters film that has a lot of powerful things to say. For instance, it uses Egon’s unfortunate journey after Ghostbusters II to point out how parents are as flawed as anyone else, and that they sometimes struggle with balance and can bring about generational trauma because of it. Which isn’t exactly something we’d ever expect to find in a film about busting ghosts, but it adds realism and depth. To the point where bringing down Gozer long after the Ghostbusters have disbanded speaks to how the sins of the father are sometimes cleaned up by descendants, which is also unique to find in this kind of story, and the wonder of innovation doesn’t end there.

After all, offering up new characters and a new setting, really does allow for a vastly different type of story to be told. One that is part coming of age, but also speaks to legacy and lineage and that’s powerful stuff to find here, stuff we can relate to and stuff that takes this franchise in a bold new direction. One that is intimate and personal, while at the same time… never loses sight of the core tenets of the franchise. For we would be remiss to not talk about the fact that this film is still grounded in comedy, which we love, and the jokes work here and outright lighten the mood when needed. Plus, the epic nature of the franchise is present here too, courtesy of the third act since you get that epic fight with Gozer and the return of Venkman, Zeddemore, and Stantz to help these kids win the day.

Not to mention, at long last, Winston Zeddemore gets proper respect here, and growth and purpose, adding more depth to a bold new beginning for the franchise. Because this really is a special film when all is said and done, one that takes the nostalgia we harbor for the film, and the generational ties we now share regarding it, and blends it together beautifully. Giving rise to an emotional Ghostbusters feature that stays with you long after its ending and brings a little mist to your eyes. But above all, it is innovative and fun, and it truly does close one chapter of the franchise so that a new one can begin, and it will be interesting to see where that new chapter takes us when Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire arrives in theaters.

Watch ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

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